Heat Exchange Assembly

ABSTRACT

A heat exchange assembly for heating a pool includes a housing that defines an internal space. The housing has a top that is open. A lid, which is complementary to the top and substantially transparent, is sealably couplable to the housing to cover the top. A tube is loopedly positioned in the internal space. The tube has opposing endpoints that are positioned through the housing. Each of a pair of couplers is coupled singly to the endpoints of the tube. The lid is configured to allow sunlight to pass through the lid into the internal space, wherein the internal space is heated relative to the ambient environment. The tube is configured to transfer heat from the internal space to liquid passing through the tube. The couplers are configured to couple the tube to a reservoir of liquid, such as a pool.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

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STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

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THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

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INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIE THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM

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STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (1) Field of the Invention (2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98

The disclosure and prior art relates to heat exchange assemblies and more particularly pertains to a new heat exchange assembly for heating a pool.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a housing that defines an internal space. The housing has a top that is open. A lid, which is complementary to the top and substantially transparent, is sealably couplable to the housing to cover the top. A tube is loopedly positioned in the internal space. The tube has opposing endpoints that are positioned through the housing. Each of a pair of couplers is coupled singly to the endpoints of the tube. The lid is configured to allow sunlight to pass through the lid into the internal space, wherein the internal space is heated relative to the ambient environment. The tube is configured to transfer heat from the internal space to liquid passing through the tube. The couplers are configured to couple the tube to a reservoir of liquid, such as a pool.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top view of a heat exchange assembly according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a side view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 5 is an in-use view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 6 thereof, a new heat exchange assembly embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 6, the heat exchange assembly 10 generally comprises a housing 12 that defines an internal space 14. The housing 12 has a top 16, which is open. In one embodiment, the housing 12 is substantially rectangularly box shaped.

A lid 18, which is complementary to the top 16, is sealably couplable to the housing 12 to cover the top 16. The lid 18 is substantially transparent. The lid 18 is positioned on the housing 12 such that the lid 18 is configured to allow sunlight to pass through the lid 18 into the internal space 14. The internal space 14 is heated relative to the ambient environment. In one embodiment, the lid 18 is arcuate. In another embodiment, the lid 18 comprises glass. In yet another embodiment, the lid 18 comprises plexiglass.

A tube 20 is loopedly positioned in the internal space 14. The tube 20 has opposing endpoints 22 that are positioned through the housing 12. The tube 20 is positioned in the internal space 14 such that the tube 20 is configured to transfer heat from the internal space 14 to liquid passing through the tube 20. In one embodiment, each opposing endpoint 22 is positioned through a respective opposing end 24 of the housing 12. In another embodiment, the opposing endpoints 22 are positioned proximate to a respective opposing side 26 of the housing 12.

In one embodiment, the tube 20 comprises plastic. In another embodiment, the tube 20 comprises polyvinylchloride. In yet another embodiment, the tube 20 is black. In still yet another embodiment, the tube 20 comprises metal.

Each of a pair of couplers 28 is coupled singly to the endpoints of the tube 20. The couplers 28 are positioned on the tube 20 such that the couplers 28 are configured to couple the tube 20 to a reservoir of liquid, such as a pool.

A plurality of heat transfer blocks 30 is positioned in the internal space 14. The heat transfer blocks 30 are positioned in the internal space 14 such that the heat transfer blocks 30 are configured to absorb sunlight passing through the lid 18. The heat transfer blocks 30 are positioned to transfer heat to the tube 20. In one embodiment, the heat transfer blocks 30 are positioned between the tube 20 and a bottom 32 of the housing 12. In another embodiment, the heat transfer blocks 30 also are positioned between the tube 20 and the lid 18. In yet another embodiment, the heat transfer blocks 30 comprises lava rocks 34.

A plurality of cross supports 36 is coupled to and extends between the opposing sides 26 of the housing 12. The cross supports 36 are positioned in the internal space 14 such that the cross supports 36 are positioned to retain the tube 20 within the heat transfer blocks 30. In one embodiment, the cross supports 36 are positioned proximate to the top 16. In another embodiment, the cross supports 36 are substantially evenly spaced between the opposing ends 24 of the housing 12. In yet another embodiment, the plurality of cross supports 36 comprises three cross supports 36.

The present invention also anticipates a platform that is coupled to and extends from the bottom 32 of the housing 12.

In use, the lid 18 is configured to allow sunlight to pass through the lid 18 into the internal space 14. The internal space 14 is heated relative to the ambient environment. The heat transfer blocks 30 are positioned in the internal space 14 such that the heat transfer blocks 30 are configured to absorb sunlight passing through the lid 18. The heat transfer blocks 30 are positioned to transfer heat to the tube 20. The tube 20 is configured to transfer heat from the internal space 14 to liquid passing through the tube 20. The couplers 28 are configured to couple the tube 20 to a reservoir of liquid, such as a pool.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements. 

I claim:
 1. A heat exchange assembly comprising: a housing defining an internal space, said housing having a top, said top being open; a lid complementary to said top, said lid being sealably couplable to said housing to cover said top, said lid being substantially transparent; a tube loopedly positioned in said internal space, said tube having opposing endpoints positioned through said housing; a pair of couplers coupled singly to said endpoints of said tube; and wherein said lid is positioned on said housing such that said lid is configured for sunlight to pass through said lid into said internal space, such that said internal space is heated relative to the ambient environment, wherein said tube is positioned in said internal space such that said tube is configured to transfer heat from said internal space to liquid passing through said tube, wherein said couplers are positioned on said tube such that said couplers are configured for coupling said tube to a reservoir of liquid, such as a pool.
 2. The assembly of claim 1, further including said housing being substantially rectangularly box shaped.
 3. The assembly of claim 1, further including said lid being arcuate.
 4. The assembly of claim 1, further including said lid comprising glass.
 5. The assembly of claim 4, further including said lid comprising plexiglass.
 6. The assembly of claim 1, further including each said opposing endpoint being positioned through a respective opposing end of said housing.
 7. The assembly of claim 6, further including said opposing endpoints being positioned proximate to a respective opposing side of said housing.
 8. The assembly of claim 1, further including said tube comprising plastic.
 9. The assembly of claim 8, further including said tube comprising polyvinylchloride.
 10. The assembly of claim 9, further including said tube being black.
 11. The assembly of claim 1, further including said tube comprising metal.
 12. The assembly of claim 1, further including a plurality of heat transfer blocks positioned in said internal space, wherein said heat transfer blocks are positioned in said internal space such that said heat transfer blocks are configured to absorb sunlight passing through said lid, wherein said heat transfer blocks are positioned to transfer heat to said tube.
 13. The assembly of claim 12, further including said heat transfer blocks being positioned between said tube and a bottom of said housing.
 14. The assembly of claim 13, further including said heat transfer blocks being positioned between said tube and said lid.
 15. The assembly of claim 12, further including said heat transfer blocks comprising lava rocks.
 16. The assembly of claim 1, further including a plurality of cross supports coupled to and extending between opposing sides of said housing, wherein said cross supports are positioned in said internal space such that said cross supports are positioned to retain said tube within said heat transfer blocks.
 17. The assembly of claim 16, further including said cross supports being positioned proximate to said top.
 18. The assembly of claim 16, further including said cross supports being substantially evenly spaced between said opposing ends of said housing.
 19. The assembly of claim 18, further including said plurality of cross supports comprising three said cross supports.
 20. A heat exchange assembly comprising: a housing defining an internal space, said housing having a top, said top being open, said housing being substantially rectangularly box shaped; a lid complementary to said top, said lid being sealably couplable to said housing to cover said top, said lid being substantially transparent, wherein said lid is positioned on said housing such that said lid is configured for sunlight to pass through said lid into said internal space such that said internal space is heated relative to the ambient environment, said lid being arcuate, said lid comprising glass, said lid comprising plexiglass; a tube loopedly positioned in said internal space, said tube having opposing endpoints positioned through said housing, wherein said tube is positioned in said internal space such that said tube is configured to transfer heat from said internal space to liquid passing through said tube, each said opposing endpoint being positioned through a respective opposing end of said housing, said opposing endpoints being positioned proximate to a respective opposing side of said housing, said tube comprising plastic, said tube comprising polyvinylchloride, said tube being black, said tube comprising metal; a pair of couplers coupled singly to said endpoints of said tube, wherein said couplers are positioned on said tube such that said couplers are configured for coupling said tube to a reservoir of liquid, such as a pool; a plurality of heat transfer blocks positioned in said internal space, wherein said heat transfer blocks are positioned in said internal space such that said heat transfer blocks are configured to absorb sunlight passing through said lid, wherein said heat transfer blocks are positioned to transfer heat to said tube, said heat transfer blocks being positioned between said tube and a bottom of said housing, said heat transfer blocks being positioned between said tube and said lid, said heat transfer blocks comprising lava rocks; a plurality of cross supports coupled to and extending between said opposing sides of said housing, wherein said cross supports are positioned in said internal space such that said cross supports are positioned to retain said tube within said heat transfer blocks, said cross supports being positioned proximate to said top, said cross supports being substantially evenly spaced between said opposing ends of said housing, said plurality of cross supports comprising three said cross supports; and wherein said lid is positioned on said housing such that said lid is configured for sunlight to pass through said lid into said internal space, such that said internal space is heated relative to the ambient environment, wherein said heat transfer blocks are positioned in said internal space such that said heat transfer blocks are configured to absorb sunlight passing through said lid, wherein said heat transfer blocks are positioned to transfer heat to said tube, wherein said tube is positioned in said internal space such that said tube is configured to transfer heat from said internal space to liquid passing through said tube, wherein said couplers are positioned on said tube such that said couplers are configured for coupling said tube to a reservoir of liquid, such as a pool. 